Music-box.



No. 686,562. Patented Nov.l2, |90l. G. VARBELMAN.

MUSIC BOX. (Appumion med Aug. 25, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoot lV s: 0 a a NVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

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Patented Nov. I2, |904. G. VARRELMAN.

MUSIC BOX.

(Application iled Aug. 25, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

NVENTOR W (m/Wl WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

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' No. 666,562. Patented Nov. l2, |901.

G. VAHRELMAN.

MUSIC BOX. (Applicaion led Aug. 25, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

GEORGE VARRELMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

MUSIC-BOX.

lSPEGIFICAClION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 686,562, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed August 25,1900. Serial No. 27,998. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE VARRELMAN, manufacturer, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 531 Hancock street, Brooklyn, New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in music-boxes of the class in which the notesheets used for operating a music-producing mechanism are automatically brought into playing position and after having been played are automatically removed and replaced by another note-sheet and in which the retaining-bar is automatically pressed down and lifted, the invention relating more particularly to improvements over the patent of myself and Charles M. Fels for a music-box, dated October 30, 1900, and numbered 661,005.

The invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter particularlydescribed and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a music-box, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, the wheel 15, hereinafter referred to, being, however, withdrawn in this figure. Figs. 3 and 4f are detail sectional side elevations of my improved centering device, showing the same in unlocked and locked positions, respectively. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3; and Figs. G and 7 are sectional side elevations showing two modified constructions of dampers.

Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the box or casing and 1 a supporting-plate for the drivin g-trains ofthe mechanism and upon which there is fixed, by means of suitable fastenings 2 3, a bridge 4.. Between the bridge 1 and the supporting-plate 1f* there is located in suitable bearings a'main shaft 5, upon a squared portion of which there is Xed a winding-up wheel 6, which may be rotated in any suitable manner, as by means of the drivingwheel 9, which is rotated by means of a crank 1'0. On the main shaft 5 there is further fixed a ratchet-wheel 11, into the notches of which a pawl or click 12 takes, the latter being pivoted to a toothed wheel 13, which is mounted loosely on the main shaft 5, so that it maybe turned by the action of the ratchet-wheel 11 and the pawl 12. A toothed wheel 15 is also arranged loosely upon the main shaft 5.

1a indicates a spring-barrel in which one or more mainsprings 14 are arranged.

17 indicates a projection on the hub 16 of the wheel 15 which interlocks with a portion of the sp1ing-barrel14,so as to cause the turning of the toothed wheel 15 by the springbarrel.

1S is a stopping-cam, and 19 is the corresponding spnr-wheel designed to restrict the number of revolutions of the main shaft 5 when the mainspring 14a is being wound up. The said mainspring has its inner end fixed to a projection 20 on the main shaft 5, while the outer end of the mainspring is fixed to a projection 21 on the inner wall of the springbarrel.

Upon the plate- 1L and suitably tothe box or casing 1 there is fixed the comb-supporting plate 7, upon which are fixed the combs 8, (shown in Figs.6 and 7,) and also the bearingpiece 22 of the retaining-bar 23, which is for the purpose of retaining in the usual manner the note-sheet 25, which may be in playing position in front of the star-wheels 24., so that the note-sheet may cause the star-wheels to pick the teeth of the comb or combs.

26 indicates a helical spring, and 27 a disk which is pushed upwardly by means of said spring with a View to assisting the lifting of the note-sheet after the piece of music has been played.

The toothed wheel 13 acts upon the train of wheels, which is shown at the left of Fig. 2, and which train of wheels is intended to act upon mechanism that does not belong to the present invention, but is shown in said prior patent, enough of such mechanism being shown, however, to enable a clear understandingof the present invention. The said mechanism shown at the left of Fig. 2 is provided with two gear wheels 28 and 29, wheel 28 meshing with toothed wheel 13, and the gear wheel or pinion 29 carryinga crank 30, which by means of a connecting-rod 31 is pivotally connected with a crank-arm 32 on the swing-frame 33 for raising o1` lowering the note-sheets, as clearly described in said patent.

IOO

23 indicates a hook at the pivoted end of the retaining-bar 23, between which and the retaining-bar is engaged a portion of the swing-frame 33, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the swing-frame automatically raises and lowers the retaining-bar. The saidleft-hand mechanism also acts, as hereinafter more particularly described, upon the locking device (shown in Figs 3, 4, and 5) for the purpose of securing and releasing the note-sheets.

37 38 indicate gear-wheels which are suitably geared with the toothed wheel 13 and,

operate the butterfly device 39.

The toothed wheel15 which coincides with the toothed wheel 13, acts upon the train of mechanism shown at the right of Fig. 2, said wheel 15 not being shown, however, in this figure. The train of mechanism consists, on the one hand,ofapinion 40,which meshes with pinion 41 of the notesheet driver or spurwheel 42,and,on the other hand,of a centrifugal regulator 43, the worm of which is acted upon Aby the said wheel 15 through the medium of gear-wheels 45 and 46.

By means of a mechanism to be described hereinafter either the left-hand train or the right-hand train will be caused to assume a state of rest and serve as a purchase for the action of the mainspring. It', for instance, the right-hand train of the device is stopped, as shown in Fig. 2, then the spring-barrel 14 and its projection 21 are stopped and the outer end of the spring 141L remains fixed, the inner end of the said spring then acting upon the main shaft 5 and causing it to be rotated. It', on the contrary, the mechanism at the left for changing the note-sheet is stopped, the toothed wheel 13 is stopped and the main shaft 5 is held fast by means of the pawl-andratchet device 1.1 and 12, whereby the projection 2O of said main shaft is caused to fix the inner end of the mainspring 14a, while the outer end of the same acts upon the springbarrel 14 and drives the toothed wheel 15, connected therewith, by the projection 17 and hub 16.

The mechanism for alternately stopping or starting the right-hand and the left-hand trains is the following: 47 indicates a rigid stud which projects suitably from the plate 1 and upon which is fulcrumed athree-arined lever 49 50 51, the same being held frictiontight, yet movable, by means of a springy or elastic disk 4S. The end of the arm 5l of said lever is shifted in Fig. 2 to a position in which it is in the path of a pin 54, which projects from the toothed wheel 15 at the side adjacent to the wheel 13, so that as t-he Wheel 15 rotates in the direction of the arrow 55 said pin 54 will by engaging the outer end or head of the arm 51 depress the latter, causing the intermediate arm 50 of the lever to be rocked from left to right. The toothed wheel 13 is provided on that side adjacent to the wheel 15 with a series of equidistantly-spaced pins 5G, which rotate with the latter in the direction of the arrow 57. Ono of the pins 56 is supposed in Fig. 2 to have depressed the arm 49 of the three armed lever and to have drawn the intermediate arm 50 from right to left. 1n this position the arm 50 serves as a fulcrum for a spring 53, by which a longitndinally-shiftable rod 61 is caused to actuate an arm 62 of the lever G2 63 G4, so as to tend to stop the butterfly device 39, before referred to. This can only occur, however, when the hooked end of the arm 03 of the lever 62 63 64 engages any one of the series of equidistantly-spaced notches 05 of a ring (55, iixed rigidly on the toothed wheel 13. When this happens, the motion of the said rod (51 from right to left causes for the time being the stopping of the butteriiy device 39 and the liberation of the regulator 43 from the arm 60 of a three-armed lever 53 59 GO, so that the arm 53 thereof is withdrawn from a notch G2 in the hub 16. This causes the toothed Wheel 13 to be stopped and the toothed Wheel 15 to be rotated by the motor-spring. The said toothed wheel l5 also rotates the pin 54 in the direction of the arrow 55, so as to .cause the same to engage, after one retaticn of the wheel15, with the conical head or outer end of the arm 51 of said three-armed lever 49 50 51, which is then depressed, the arm 50 being then rocked from left to right and causing a spring 52 to be strained and the rod 61 to push the arm 59 of the lever 5S 59 60 to the right, whereby the arm GO of the said lever tends to step the regulator 43; but this can only take place when the hooked end of the arm 5S engages the said notch (32, as shown in Fig. 2. As wheel 15 is rotating when the piece of inusic is being played, the just-described device causes the music-producing mechanism to be stopped after each full rotation of the toothed wheel 15.

The mechanism for automatically exchanging the note-sheets is working while the toothed Wheel 15 is at rest. For causing the said mechanism for automatically exchanging the note-sheets to be acted upon the toothed wheel 13 need only malte a partial rotation, and in the construction shown onesixth of a rotation is provided for. Conscquently the ring 65, carried by the wheel 13, is provided with six equidistant notches G5 for permitting the arm G3 to engage one of such notches every sixth of a revolution of the wheel 13. Accordingly the toothed wheel 13 is provided with six equidistant pins 5G, so as to cause the rocking of the lever 49 5() 5l every time the arm (33 engages a notch G5". Arm 64 of the three-armed lever G2 (53 (S4 is provided with two springy or resilient with drawing devices GG, which are adapted to be acted upon by a pin G7 on the lower end of a hand-lever 63, suitably pivoted so that it may be acted upon when desired for stopping the mechanism for automatically exchanging the note-sheets or for permitting the same to work continuously. A further three-armed lever G9 70 71 is fulcrumed on the saine pivot as the lever 5S 59 (SO, and the first-named thrce- IOO IIO

armed lever is under the iniiuence of a spring 72, so that by means of a suitably-pivoted lever 73 the regulator 43 may be stopped by hand.

The regulator 43 is of the centrifugal type, and the sleeve or collar 4.5a of the same bears a disk 74, one face of which is automatically brought into frictional contact with an adjustable brake when the balls of the regulator are thrown apart by centrifugal force.

75 is a suitably pivoted eibow-lever, the short arm of which is provided with a shoe 76, of wood or leather, with which the disk 74 is adapted to be brought in contact by the action of the regulator. By increasing the speed of the mechanism driving the note-sheet the ,degree of pressure of the disk 74 upon the shoe 76 increases, and thus a normal speed is obtained, which may be determined by suitably adjusting the elbow-lever 75, and consequently the brake-shoe 76.

The locking device (shown in detail in Figs. 8, 4, and 5) is for the purpose of engaging the swinging end of the retaining-bar for locking the same rigidly in position. The said locking device is composed of a note-sheet centern ing-pin or guide-post 86, which is fixed by means of a screw or in any other suitable manner in a support 7L in the music-comb-supporting plate 7 and which is provided with diametrically opposite grooves 87, said guidepost extending slightly above and below the said plate. The shanks 89 of a pair of clutching jaws or hooks 88 are guided in the grooves S7 in such manner that the said jaws 8S may be projected above the guide-post, as shown in Fig. 3, or may be lowered, as shown in Fig. 4. The shanks 89 are, at a point below and adjacent to the jaws S8, provided with cam-shoulders 90, which when the locking device or clutch is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 4 bear upon the upper end of the guide-post, so that the latter exercises a sort of wedging action and forces the jaws apart, thereby causing the same to engage the perforated end of the retaining-bar, the movement of which is so timed as to have been lowered before the locking device or clutch acts. The shanks of the locking device or clutch are provided at their outer sides with grooves 91, which receive tongues 92, extending inwardly into the opening at the outer end of the retaining-bar. The automatic locking and unlocking of the locking device or clutch is obtained through the medium of a series of pins 93, arranged upon the gear-wheel 2S, before referred to, and which act to rock the anchor 94 alternately in opposite directions, so as to impart a corresponding rocking motion to a forked arm 95, which is shown in full lines in Fig. l and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the fork of the said arm being in engagement with the pivotallyconnected ends of the shanks S9. It is evident that as the forked arm 95 is lowered the locking device or clutch is caused to auto1 matically lock the retaiuirigbar, as shown in CD LJ) Fig. 4, while when the forked lever is raised the locking device or clutch is released, as shown in Fig. 3. 96 indicates a tensionspring which tends to draw the Shanks of the jaws together when in the position shown in Fig. 3, thus imparting a contrary motion to that performed by the upper end of the post and the cam projections 90.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the note-sheet or music-disk 25 is provided with suitable openings 25a and lugs or projections 25b just behind the openings, such lugs being, however, very low compared to the height of those now in use on note-sheets, the object being to depress each tooth of a star-wheel 24 just so much as to place the next following tooth close to the under side of the note-sheet, so that such tooth will be pulled by the next following lug or projection directly into the opening 25, which is not done with the former lugs used, as they are too long. The result is that the combined advantages of a note-sheet with long lugs and a note-sheet without any lugs are produced. The dampers 8 and 8b (shown iu said Figs. 6 and 7) each consist of a springy, resilient, or elastic filament of comparatively stiff hair of about the characteristics of horsehair or cats whiskers. In Fig. 6 the hair damper is inserted into one end of each comb-tooth and acts directly on the end of each star-wheel tooth, while in Fig. 7 it is fixed to one side of each comb-tooth and acts on the side of each star-wheel tooth. A damper formed of a filament of sufficiently resilient hair possesses the proper damping Vqualities and makes no disagreeable clicking sound, as it acts dcad, as it were.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a musicbox, the combination, with means for moving each notesheet to playing position, and a mainspring, of two trains of wheels, one wheel of one of said trains being suitably connected with one end of the mainspring, and a wheel of the other of said trains being connected with the other end of the mainspring, and a stopping mechanism for alternately stopping either of said trains of wheels, and starting the other train or vice versa, substantially as set forth.

2. In a music-box, the combination, with means for moving each note-sheet to playing position, a winding-shaft, a mainspring, and a motor-barrel, the ends of said mainspring being respectively connected with the shaft and barrel, of two trains of wheels, a wheel of one of said trains being suitably first acted upon through the medium of the shaft, and a wheel of the other of said trains being suitably connected with said barrel, and a stopping mechanism for alternately stopping either of said trains and starting the other train or vice versa, substantiaily as set forth.

3. In a music-box, the combination, with means for moving each note-sheet to playing position, and notesheet-driving mechanisms ICO IIO

provided with a starting or stopping arm 5S, of two trains of wheels, one of said trains having a toothed wheel, a notched ring thereon, a suitable arm 63, said toothed wheel also having a series of pins corresponding with the notches of the ring, a three-armed lever actuated by said pins, a spring actin g on said three-armed lever, and the other train of Wheels having a toothed wheel provided with a pin adapted to act on said three-armed lever, and the hub of which latter toothed Wheel having means to cooperate with the arm 58 of the note-sheet-driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In a music-box, a damper formed of a springy or resilient filament of hair suitably attached to the comb-tooth, substantially as set forth.

5. In a music-box, the combination, with the centering-pin for the note-sheets, of a locking device consisting of jaws, the shanks of which are suitably guided on the centering-pin, means for drawing the jaws together when the locking device is in out position, means for spreading the jaws apart when in in position, and moans for automatically moving said locking device longitudinally, substantially as set forth.

G. In a music-box, the combination, with a longitudinally-grooved centering-pin, of a locking device consisting of jaws, the Shanks of which are longitudinally guided in the grooved centering-pin, means for drawing the jaws together when the locking device is raised, means for automatically opening the jaws when lowered, and means for automatically raising and lowering said looking dcvice, substantially as set forth.

7. A note-sheet for music-boxes, consisting of a suitable body provided with openings, and projections or lugs behind said openings, said projections or lugs being just high enough to depress one tooth of the starwheel sufficiently so as to cause the following tooth of the star-wheel to be brought in reach of the lower surface of the disk, whereby the next following lug or -projection of the note-4 sheet causes the said following tooth to be projected into the corresponding opening, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE VARRELMAN.

Witnesses PAUL GOEPEL, M. H. WURTZEL. 

